Mening med att läsa i historia: Lärares och elevers erfarenheter av mening med att läsa skriven text i historieämnet i gymnasiet utifrån läs-ämnesförståelser

Abstract in English

Traditional forms of written text, such as newspapers and books, are being increasingly challenged by the shift towards digitalisation. The consequences of this are far-reaching, and one area to be affected is history education since historical narratives are now accessible in various forms of media. While reading is important in all subjects, it is particularly central in history. This makes the study of history education worthwhile in terms of reading experiences, especially since digital tools are becoming more prevalent in the classroom.

While Swedish teachers demonstrate strong interest in digital tools, research shows that students are reading less in school, which may impact their reading comprehension. Decisions on whether or not to read texts in the history classroom occur within a context shaped by both analogue and digital resources, which affects how students engage with and understand these texts.

This study explores the considerations that influence both teachers’ choice of texts in history education and students’ decisions to read or not to read assigned texts. Interviews were conducted with three secondary school teachers and fourteen students. Using a social constructivist framework, the study analyses their experiences through the concept of meaning.

Understanding teachers’ choices is important because these determine what students are exposed to. Equally important is understanding how students perceive the meaning of reading since this influences their motivation and engagement. The study introduces the concept of reading-related subject understanding (läs-ämnesförståelse), the definition of which is how students understand both the subject of history and the role texts have within it.

Firstly: Findings suggest that the meaning of reading in the history classroom is perceived in three different but interrelated ways: as a source of knowledge, as a method for investigation, and as a foundation for discussion. These perspectives are described as “positions of meaning”. Both teachers and students shift between these positions, which reflects a complex and dynamic understanding of reading in the subject.

Secondly: The findings of this study show that reading-related subject understanding can be seen as consisting of three types: the knowledge-acquiring meaning of history reading; the investigative meaning of history reading; and the developmental meaning of history reading. Promoting a broader, more nuanced experience of reading can support student engagement and potentially increase reading in schools.